Ibadan Chieftaincy: We‘ll appeal judgment, says Ajimobi

The Oyo State Government says it will appeal the judgment which declared unconstitutional and illegal the Commission of Inquiry recommending the elevation of some Ibadan high chiefs to Obas.

Justice Olajumoke Aiki of Oyo State High Court had on Friday declared the retired Justice Akintunde Boade’s Commission of Inquiry which reviewed the 1957 Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration and other Chieftaincies as unconstitutional and illegal.

The state government had on Aug. 27, 2017 elevated some Ibadan High Chiefs, except one and some district heads (Baales) as obas, an action which pitted them against Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Olubadan.

The Osi Olubadan and former governor of the state, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, had filed a suit to challenge the propriety of the Justice Boade Commission of Inquiry.

Reacting to the judgment of the court on Friday in Ibadan, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi said that the state will appeal the verdict.

The governor made the assertion at the inauguration of a block of classrooms donated by Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) to Community Secondary School, Ajara in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Olujimi was a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation and an indigene of Ajara community in Ibadan.

“Today’s judgment on the Olubadan Chieftaincy review will be appealed immediately. We have embarked upon the exercise, not for joke, but for the good of Ibadan and the people.

“We will not relent in making Ibadan great and the greatness shall come from various ways, one of which is the review exercise.

“You should not expect people to accept change and radical policy for that matter, but we shall get there.

“ We will not allow the forces of retrogression to overtake the progress Oyo State is making,’’ Ajimobi said.

The governor commended Olujimi over the gesture, calling on other well-meaning Nigerians to emulate this.

He also advised parents to provide necessary means for their wards as a means of making them proud in the future.

The governor said that the event indicated that the School Governing Board (SGB) policy of his administration has continued to yield good results.

Ajimobi stated that many states had enjoyed transformative outlooks through the intervention of the community in their schools.

“APC administration since 2017 has established a foundation of peace and security that gave birth to modernisation of the state through massive physical infrastructure, opening of our tourism potentials and the rebirth of our educational policies.

“Today, we are celebrating another milestone in the success of the SGB policy as our foremost lawyer, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), has reinforced our faith in restructuring our education.

“We must all work hand-in-hand to change the face of education in our state the more as we have been getting positive results from our various policies on education. I therefore call on other people with means to do same,’’ he said.

Earlier, Olujimi said he was happy to have contributed to the growth of education, especially in his own community.

He said that he would donate another four blocks of classrooms to Community Secondary School, Ajara, apart from the block being inaugurated.

The former minister called on the students to do more in their studies so as to become great in the future and pay back to their community like he did.

“The SGB policy of the present administration is laudable as it has paved the way for somebody like me to contribute to the development of education in my locality and Oyo State.

“It is left for you students to reciprocate this gesture by forging ahead in attaining success in your academic pursuits.

“ The state has done its bit. It is your responsibility as beneficiaries of the progressive policy of the state administration to re-launch your efforts at achieving greatness,’’ he said.